if you actually took a chemistry class, you'd know that the AGW-based "ocean acidification" idea is a joke. While dissolving CO2 in water does produce carbonic acid (H2CO3), which does lower the pH of the water. However, the solubility of CO2 in water in inversely proportional to temperature. So as the oceanic temperatures rise, the CO2 concentration (and carbonic acid concentration) in the oceans would decrease.

goldilocks wrote: "It all began with the Republican Party! "
I seem to recall some trouble in Iran under Carter. And, if I remember correctly, it was the Truman Administration that formally recognized the state of Israel.
But I am not saying that the troubles in the Middle East are the Democrats fault. Just that goldi is spewing garbage.

Actually, the issue in Mesquite was that the burglars weren't on the homeowners property. This gave the police the leeway to make the charge. Had the homeowner waited until they were actually on his property, under Texas law it would have been a clear cut case of self-defense and no charges would have been issued.
A distinction that prosecutors & defense lawyers make their living arguing.

"Who will be running the privatized courts - my friends or yours?"
It helps if you actually read the entire article. Stossel clearly stated "Some things ought to be done by government: things like running courts, .."

The federal government also plays a major role by forbidding the purchase of health insurance across state lines, thereby allowing the state politicians for force mandates.
All the 'reform' required for affordable health care is to amend the McCarran-Ferguson Act to allow interstate competition in health insurance. And that the exclusive regulator of insurance companies will be the state where the company's home office is located. Of course, we would need to prohibit the federal government from regulating insurance companies, except for normal laws and regulations that apply to all companies.

What most conservatives want is a voucher system to get the government out of the education business all together. That way the parents would be able to "assess teacher effectiveness" by moving their children out of under-performing schools. There is nothing like the free market to eliminate incompetence.

rwilliams164: While you are correct that the president is the constitutional 'point man' on foreign policy, you are incorrect that "national credibility is at stake". The reality is that national credibility WAS at stake. The moment to strike to show that the president would back up his words has past.
To do anything at this point would only make the president (and using your analogy, the US) appear weaker on the world stage as it would look it was a purely political move. Kind of the government equivalent of shaking your fist long after the bully has walked away.